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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: coach · sharp · ruler · foot · object · chip · stock · ball

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. The ________________ market has crashed.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. What's the difference between broth and ________________?

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. foot — a measure
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. object — an aim
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. stock — shares
  7. object — a thing
  8. stock — goods
  9. sharp — clever
  10. ruler — a monarch
  11. ball — a dance
  12. chip — to eat
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. ball — a great time
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. object — to protest
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. chip — for betting
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. stock — a soup base

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com